[Blog Tour] Guiding Lights by Jessica Florence (Review + Giveaway)

Guiding Lights by Jessica Florence

Published August 20th, 2015

New Adult Contemporary Romance

Premise:
He sings of suffering. His eyes hold the pain of living in sorrow.
The moment our gaze meets recognition flares within.
We are tortured souls drifting in a sea of darkness.
He knows I have secrets that I'll never tell.
I am numb
I am broken
I am dirty
I can never be the guiding light through the darkness he thinks I am.
I have forsaken my past, I rely on keeping myself shut off.
But he has secrets too, secrets that would destroy everything I have left.
I wish things were different, that maybe we could be each other's lifeline.
But destiny drags us down like an anchor.
The broken can only drift in the sea barely staying afloat.

Get your copy!

Review

My thoughts:

This is a beautiful story about two broken souls that recognize each other in the dark and together find their way to the light. The story is very gritty and powerful, it's a romance but it still has that darker quality of deep emotions that goes beyond the romantic relationship. 

The book is written in first person, from Nera's point of view. Nera is twenty three but has experienced enough horrors for two lifetimes, and that has left her broken and afraid of trusting people. She feels the need to hide from life and for a while, Durness, Scotland has been the perfect hiding spot.  There she works as a bartender in a pub called “Spurtle” which is own by Evan, and lives at a B&B owned by his wife, Aggie. Evan and Aggie are good people and have taken Nera in as a daughter. They really care for her and that warmth they bring to her life is exactly what Nera needs. I enjoyed their characters a lot and I think Nera deserved to have people like them in her life. 

The thing about Nera's dark past is that you don't know right away what happened to her. You know she went through something horrible and since the very first page her past becomes the mystery you want to solve. I really liked this aspect of the book, it added suspense and allowed for a lot of character development for Nera. 

One night, at the pub, a really handsome singer named Wolfe, takes the stage and bares his soul through his music. His voice and heart-felt lyrics strike a chord with Nera and she realizes she's found another broken soul. A little shaken up by his performance, Nera goes outside to regain her bearings and the singer goes after her to make sure she's okay. I really liked this first scene between them, it really showed the connection between since the very beginning. 

Wolfe is a mysterious character, he has this kind of bad-boy vibe but he's also incredibly sweet to Nora and I really enjoyed their relationship, especially at the beginning when they were at such ease with each other. The connection they shared was pretty much instantaneous, but their relationship grows little by little throughout the book. The secrets Wolfe withholds from Nora are intense and I understood why he had trouble sharing them, but it drove me insane that he took so long to come clean when he was clearly willing to do just about anything to get through to her. 

What I liked the most about Nera was that she was a bookworm. That made her more relatable to me and I giggled a lot when reading about her nerdy clothes and her fangirl-ish love for erotica authors. It was something I wouldn't have expected from her and that gave her a lot more dimension.

The thing that bothered me the most about this book was the accent. I get that it's supposed to be set in Scotland, but I think it would've been easier for me to get into the story if the dialogues weren't written with Scottish accent, it would've been enough if it just said the characters had an accent, but with everything written like that I had a really hard time trying to figure out what they were saying and that prevented me from fully immersing myself in the book. 

Overall, I think this is a powerful story about allowing yourself to be happy even when things have been rough. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a darker contemporary romance, especially to people who enjoy accents and books set in Scotland, because if you're into that I'd bet that you would fall head over heels for Wolfe! 

Rating:

Reaction:

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author

Jessica Florence makes her home in Southwest Florida where she runs her own business, and of course writing! She one day after reading a book a day for a year just sat down and started writing, thus finding a new amazing hobby that she was looking for, for years, and that was also very therapeutic. 

She spends her days reading, writing, watching TV, working, playing with her cute as hell baby, and black German Shepherd Rogue aka Rogue-i-bear, and of course tormenting her husband ;)

She also enjoys taking naps, bubble baths, eating pickles like candy, and having Harry Potter marathons.

Facebook | Twitter | Website

Don't forget to check out the rest of the tour stops for more reviews and amazing content!

Blog Tour Schedule

August 21

What Is That Book About - Guest Post

A Beautiful Book Blog - Excerpt

Books Unhinged - Review

August 22

For The Love of Fictional Worlds - Review

  The Dark Realm - Excerpt

Lostin Ever After  - Review

August 23

Coffee Books & Art - Excerpt

Textteaser - Review

August 24

The Divas Book Lounge Book Club - Review

Adventures in Writing - Excerpt

Works of Fiction - Review

August 25

flirty fiction blog - Review

Mischievous Reads - Playlist

Romance Obsessed Book Blog - Review

August 26

Greyland Reviews - Excerpt

Typical Distractions - Review

August 27

Roxy's Reviews - Excerpt

Sarah & Kirsty's Book Reviews - Excerpt

Evermore Books  - Playlist

Resch Reads and Reviews - Review

August 28

FMR Book Grind - Review

JordansBookReviews - Excerpt

This Literary Life  - Review

August 29

Kris & Vik Book Therapy Cafe - Review

Nicole's Book Musings  - Excerpt

A girl and her books - Review

August 30

Lita's Book Blog - Review

Book-Lover - Excerpt

deal sharing aunt  - Interview

The Book Hookup  - Review

August 31

Oh My Growing TBR - Excerpt

Kitty Kats Crazy About Books - Review

September 1

Pause Time Reviews - Review

Alpha Book Club - Excerpt

Word Forward  - Review

Love Us Some Books  - Review

September 2

Mama She's Crazy About Books  - Review

Pages Abound  - Review

G & T Indié Cafe  - Excerpt

Ashley Book Blog  - Review

September 3

Cosying Up With Books  - Excerpt

Between The Lines  - Review

Book Lovers Obsession - Review

Once Upon a Book Blog - Review

2 Girls Who Love Books  - Review

[Review] A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses #1
Published May 5th, 2015
Bloomsbury Children's
Young Adult/New Adult Fantasy

Premise:
A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

Get your copy!

Review

My thoughts:

This might be the best book I've ever read. If not, at least it is my new favorite book. It was so freaking fantastic! How good? I was ready to rate it 5/5 when I was less than half-way through it and when I finished it I wished I could have given it 1000/5 and that I could flip it over and start reading it again right away. That good. 

Sarah J. Maas writing style is superb. The way she can create a world so out of the ordinary, so fantastic and yet so believable is astounding. Her worlds and characters have me thinking about them, even dreaming about them long after I've finished her books. 

This particular world, is the best fairy-related world I've ever encountered in literature. It was really vivid and detailed without making me feel like I was reading lots and lots of descriptions. It's full of amazing creatures; some of them seem to have been pulled out of my most beautiful dreams and others out of my most terrifying nightmares. 

This book is narrated in first person, which is a change from the Throne of Glass series, and I get why this is important. You'll get why this is important when you read the book. I'll only say that the plot twists that blew my mind in this book, wouldn't have been a big deal if it were written in third person and from multiple perspectives as Sarah's previous series.  And I loved those plot twists. I was liking the book before them, but holy crap! They took it to a whole another level of awesomeness I wasn't expecting. 

Let's get back on track. As I was saying, first person narrator; meet Feyra, our protagonist and narrator. She's the youngest of three sisters and oddly enough, the one that provides for them and their father after their family became poor due to their father lack of common sense (that's my take on it, but you'll find out soon enough if you read the book). 

Feyra's family has been struggling to get by ever since they lost their fortune, and by struggling I mean nearly starving to death. But Feyra made a promise to her mother on her deathbed to take care of her sisters. So, she learns to hunt, she starts providing for their entire family. Think Katniss, from The Hunger Games, only worse. Because at least, Katniss had an adorable little sister who appreciated everything she did for their family. Feyra's sisters were the most ungrateful bitches you can imagine. Always complaining about not having enough money, or clothes or whatever, sitting on their asses all day while Feyra had to go risk her life in the woods, nearly freezing to death, trying to hunt the food that kept them alive. I was so freaking mad at them, I don't think I've ever wanted to strangle a character more than I wanted to strangle them. They were such spoiled brats that if I were as resourceful as Feyra I would've left them to starve and go live by myself somewhere else, because they never did anything for her, never even thanked her for what she did. Aggh! I could go on and on about how much they infuriated me but we'll be here forever, so moving on!

One fateful day, while hunting, Feyra encounters a huge wolf stalking the same doe she was intending to hunt, so she kills it, kills the doe and returns home with her prize. The next day an enraged Fae-beast blasts through their door looking for the killer of the wolf, who turned out to be a Fae too and now Feyra has to face the consequences of having killed one of them. Tamlin, the Fae-beast, explains that the Treaty signed many years ago, between Fae and humans states that the killer of a Fae must pay with her/his life. A life for a life. But Tamlin is willing to take advantage of a loophole, allowing Feyra to live her life in Prythian, the land of Fae in replacement for the life she took. 

Prythian is an intricate, breathtaking world run by the politics and magic of powerful immortal creatures. This world has been enclosed by a wall to separate Fae and humans after a war that almost ended the human race. In those ancient times, the Fae would take humans as slaves and that originated many of the legends and superstitions that humans has learned of throughout generations, and that's the reason why most humans fear and hate the Fae people, including Feyra at the beginning of this book.

Sarah J. Maas has a way of creating whole casts of fascinating, multi-dimensional and relevant characters that I haven't seen since J.K. Rowling. The cast in ACOTAR is freaking huge! But I still remember each and every name and love all characters to bits.

I really felt for Feyra and found her to be a really especial character. I know she's supposed to be Sarah's version of Bella from Beauty and the Beast, and she indeed is for the sake of the plot a lot like her. But also, she's different, she has different hobbies, to say the least. So she is most definitely not just a pretty girl. She's really brave and loyal and more resourceful that most people give her credit for. I absolutely loved her as a main character. 

I really liked Tamlin too. He was sweet and tried really hard to get Feyra to like him. I loved those awkward moments at the beginning of their relationship and how they turned into a beautiful thing later on. I also love his roughness around the edges and his protectiveness over Feyra even though sometimes I didn't agree with his decisions. 

Then we have Ryhs who might be the most interesting character in this whole book, especially since we get very little of him in comparison with other characters. He seems like he's so much more than what meets the eye and I can't wait to find out more about the Night Court and him in the next book.

The one that absolutely stole my heart though, was Lucian. He was genius. I love his lines of dialogue over anyone else's and how rounded a character he was. All rough and snarky but with a heart of gold and completely loyal to Tamlin. I just couldn't get enough of him. I hope we get more of him in the next few books, because I love him to pieces. 

The pace of this book was really particular. We get a powerful beginning with a lot of changes for our protagonist, since we follow Feyra entering this new world of Fae creatures and leaving behind the only world she's ever known.  Then, the middle of the book is really slow paced and normally that would've bother the hell of out me, but I was so enthralled with  the world-building and learning about the politics of the courts and the rites and the gorgeous characters and the sweet slow-building romance that I read it all as if it were fast-paced action, I didn't want to put down the book. And then finally, the whole book explodes into full action and big moments, huge revelations and mind-blowing plot twists I didn't see coming despite some of them being very obviously foreshadowed. I kept getting more and more nervous with every page nearing the end; for one I didn't want the book to end because I was loving it so much that I was dreading having to part ways with the characters. And also, Good Lord! Those lasts scenes had me talking to myself, praying for the characters and biting my nails like nobody's business. 

Overall, I don't think I could've loved this book more than I did. It was like it was written just for me. The world, the characters, the writing, it was all mesmerizing and I can't wait for the next one... I can't believe it doesn't come out until next year, I need it right now. From this moment on, I hereby swear to buy and read every single book written by Sarah J. Maas because she's the best. 

Rating:

Reaction:

About the author

Sarah J. Maas is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series (Queen of Shadows, Book 4, will be out in September 2015), as well as the A Court of Thorns and Roses series (out 5/5/15).

Sarah lives in Bucks County, PA, and over the years, she has developed an unhealthy appreciation for Disney movies and bad pop music. She adores fairy tales and ballet, drinks too much tea, and watches an ungodly amount of TV. When she's not busy writing, she can be found exploring the historic and beautiful Pennsylvania countryside with her husband and canine companion.

[Blog Tour] Discovering Delilah by Melissa Foster (Review + Giveaway)

Discovering Delilah by Melissa Foster
Harborside Nights #2
Published July 9th, 2015.
New Adult Contemporary GLBT Romance

Premise:
After the death of her parents on the day of her college graduation, Delilah Armstrong thought she could finally follow her heart and come out to her closest friends, but the guilt of going against her parents’ beliefs haunts her. The feelings she has for her best friend, Ashley, are stronger than anything she’s felt before, but Delilah has never even kissed a girl, and fear stops her at every turn.
Ashley Carver promised herself that she would never again date another girl who wasn’t out, but that was before she met intoxicatingly sweet and sexy Delilah.
When another girl offers to teach Delilah the ropes, it changes Delilah’s whole world and gives her the courage to go after the only girl she really wants. But coming out isn’t as easy as Delilah imagined, and moving past her parents’ death and the feelings of guilt she is left with is even harder. The intense passion between Ashley and Delilah is too strong to deny, but coming together means risking everything.
Discovering Delilah is an edgy, evocative, romantic story of friendship, family, and the courage to love.

Get your copy!

KINDLE | NOOK | KOBO | GPLAY | iBOOKS | SMASHWORDS | AMAZON UK | AMAZON CA | AMAZON AU | Paperback

Check out the book trailer!

About Book #1: Catching Cassidy 

Wyatt Armstrong never imagined that instead of celebrating his college graduation, he and his twin sister would be dealing with the death of their parents. Then again, Wyatt had never been one to think past tomorrow. He heads to their summer home in Harborside, Massachusetts, with his best friend Cassidy Lowell in tow, to deal with his parents’ death and to try to figure out his next step.Six foot two, infuriatingly handsome, and flirtatious, Wyatt Armstrong has always been there for Cassidy, helping her pass her classes and fend off unwanted advances, while driving her insane with his one-night stands—but that’s what best friends are for, isn’t it? Having each other’s backs. There was never any doubt that she would accompany him to his family’s summer home—but she never expected to begin seeing Wyatt as more than a friend. Or has she been ignoring her feelings all along?It’s impossible to ignore the sizzling heat between them as Wyatt and Cassidy get even closer, but Cassidy knows Wyatt’s past, and she has a real job to begin in the fall. Wyatt may be a sure thing for the summer, but Cassidy needs more. For the first time in his life, Wyatt is forced to look toward the future if he doesn’t want to lose the one woman who’s shared his past and owns his heart.

Get your copy!

KINDLE | NOOK | KOBO  | GPLAY | iBOOKS | AMAZON UK | AMAZON CA | AMAZON AU | Paperback

Check out the book trailer!

Review

My thoughts: 

Discovering Delilah is the second book in the Harborside Nights series, but it can be read as a stand-alone without feeling incomplete. It's a sweet story about love and friends but also about grief, overcoming guilt and allowing yourself to be happy even after something tragic happens. 

Even thought there are two points of view in this story (Delilah's and Ashley's), for me it felt like it was mostly Delilah's story. Her struggles about accepting who she really is and who she loves. After her parents death, she can't stop feeling guilty for having feelings towards girls. She keeps repeating the same scene over and over again in her mind: the look of disgust her parents gave her the day she told them she was a lesbian. Most families would've gone through the process of arguing and coming to terms in one way or another with that fact, but not Delilah's. Because on that very same day she finally revealed her sexuality to her parents, they died in a car accident, and the subject was left hanging. 

Now she's having strong feelings for Ashley, a girl who's been her friend for a few months and even though Ashley feels the same way towards her, Delilah can't let go of the guilt of going against her parents wishes and the fear of being shamed for loving another girl. 

You know that moment in a romance book when after the glancing, the flirting and everything in between you finally find out that the love interest of your main character actually likes her/him too? Since in this book we have both perspectives, Ashley's and Delilah's, we go through that moment way too soon, as in the first few pages, and that took a little excitement and build-up out of the relationship. The story still has a lot of sexy scenes and heart-warming moments of romance between the two girls, but I felt like they we started to witness their relationship from somewhere around the middle and not from the beginning. But even then, their relationship was kind of adorable. They had a lot to work through but they supported each other every step of the way and you could tell they were just right for each other and that was awesome. 

Delilah is not the type of character that I relate to the most. Not because she's a lesbian and I'm not, but because she's way too concerned with the way other people see her or think about her and let that dictate her life for most of this book. I understand that not all characters/people can be self-assured and not all gay people are comfortable with the way they feel and come out of the closet as soon as they know they're gay. But I always love the characters that are authentic and completely themselves no matter what. So, all the hiding and fearing that Delilah went through in this book prevented me from really connecting with her. I appreciate her growth though, and I hope to catch some glimpses of how she's doing with her new take on life when I pick up the next book in this series. 

That said, even though I didn't relate much to Delilah on the previous matter, I still understood where some of her feelings were coming from. I don't know what would I do if my parents suddenly died, much less what I'd do if they died in the middle of a huge argument, like Delilah's did. The guilt I imagine I'd feel for their deaths would be horrible, because our last moments together would have been filled with resentment and disappointment and I don't even know if I could handle that or if it would drive me completely insane. So, the grief side of the story I totally got and I felt for her and her loss.

Overall, I think this book was pretty good. It had a sweet romance, a full set of interesting characters (a few of them already have their own story told in some of the other books of this series), a compelling writing style and a great message about letting yourself be who you truly are and be happy. It wasn't perfect but I enjoyed it. It was refreshing to read a GLBT contemporary romance with a female protagonist, which I'd never done before. I'll be picking up the first book in this series soon and the third one when it comes out. 

Rating:

Reaction:

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance (M/F, M/M, F/F), romantic suspense, thrillers, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa also co-writes the Love on Rockwell Island series with New York Times bestselling author Bella Andre. Melissa's emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented. Her books have been recommended by USA Today's book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café. When she's not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success.

 Melissa has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Her interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping others see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod.

 Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on social media or her personal website. Never miss a release! Follow Melissa here on Amazon and sign up for her newsletter: www.MelissaFoster.com/Newsletter

WEBSITE | STREET TEAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | PINTEREST | AMAZON | GOODREADS

[Blog Tour] Red Blooded by Caitlin Sinead

Red Blooded by Caitlin Sinead

Published August 3rd, 2015

Carina Press

New Adult Contemporary Romance

About RED BLOODED

Instead of eating ramen and meeting frat guys like most college freshmen, Peyton Arthur is on the campaign trail. Traveling with her mother, the Democratic pick for vice president, she's ordering room service, sneaking glances at cute campaign intern Dylan and deflecting interview questions about the tragic loss of her father. But when a reporter questions her paternity, her world goes into a tailspin.Dylan left Yale and joined the campaign to make a difference, not keep tabs on some girl. But with the paternity scandal blowing up and Peyton asking questions, he's been tasked to watch her every move. As he gets to know the real Peyton, he finds it harder and harder to keep a professional distance.When the media demands a story, Peyton and Dylan give them one—a fake relationship. As they work together to investigate the rumors about her real father and Peyton gets closer to learning the truth, she's also getting closer to Dylan. And suddenly, it's not just her past on the line anymore. It's her heart.

Add it to Goodreads HERE!

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iBooks

Review

My thoughts: 

This book was really good. It's a great mixture of the innocence of new adulthood and the deviance implicated in politics. It had a head-strong, curious protagonist, who's trying to find herself in the answers to question she always thought she knew, just to get  shoved into a web of secrets and lies.  

It reminded me a little of Scandal, a TV show I've watched religiously and loved. It had all the elements that made me love the show, the mysteries, the screw-up, the cover-ups and the romance. 

Right from the start we get immersed in a whole world of complicated etiquette and half-truths, following Peyton. She's the eighteen-year-old daughter of a Vice President candidate and has had to get used to being in the public eye for several years due to her deceased father's best-selling book which included details of her life growing up. Everyone feels like they know her and she's America's sweetheart, but she is not fooled by the illusion. She knows her real friends can be counted with the fingers on her hands and if she ever says something out of line, it could end her mother's career.

So, she's learned to behave and be proper, smile and say only what's expected of her. But when a mean-spirited TV host interviews her and bluntly suggest that her father might not be the man who raised her and the one she's always loved, she starts to unravel. The foundations of her life start crumbling down right before her eyes and she will not rest until she gets the full truth. Luckily, the campaign intern who's been assigned to "handling her", Dylan might be just the one person who can help her get the answer she seeks.

I loved and hated the politics involved in this book. I loved the way everything seemed plausible and even when it's a difficult world  to relate to for me, since I know very little about what actually goes on behind the scenes of a real campaign, it felt somehow authentic, with all the unpleasant meetings, the gives and takes, and the power-crazed personalities. It also made me think about the kind of things that I tend to push into a deep corner of my mind so I can avoid them; like how the fate of a whole country rest in the hands of people that are, more often than not, concerned with their own personal interest over the well-being of the people who elected them, which is a thought that makes me break out in hives every time I let it slip past my mental defenses. 

The relationship between Peyton and her mother was really complicated and I found myself hating the latter for the most part of the book. I just couldn't compute the idea of a good mother with the one of someone who would put her daughter through all the things that Peyton had to face. I wanted to scream at the woman most of the time for letting her some people on her campaign staff be so rude and insensitive to Peyton.

The romance building up between Peyton and Dylan was really cute at first. I loved the scenes where they got to know each other and found things they had in common. I also loved how Dylan was there for her when she needed someone the most. His constant commitment with the campaign over anything else drove me a bit crazy sometimes, but by the end I had already forgiven him. The thing that bugged me about this relationship was that they were from point A to F skipping point B, C, D, E... If you know what I mean. They were friends and they would flirt and they were attracted to each other, everything was going great. And then suddenly they were REALLY into each other and then came sex. No real dating, no getting to know each other intimately as more than friends before jumping into bed together. They made a great couple, though and I was really pulling for them.

I think the part I loved the most about this book were the bits of the book written by Peyton's father that we get at the beginning of the chapters and I found myself wanting to read the whole thing. It gave me a lot of perspective about Peyton and who she really was and also made me teary-eyed on more than one occasion. 

Overall, I think Red Blooded was a solid contemporary read. The writing style was suited for the genre and it read pretty fast. It had everything it needed to keep me reading without wanting to let go of the book. The romance wasn't perfect but it was good nonetheless and the intrigue surrounding Peyton's biological father kept me turning the pages late into the night. I would recommend it for people that like politics but are also looking for a read that's not too dense. 

Rating:

Reaction:

Giveaway

Want to win an Amazon gift card? You can enter via the Rafflecopter below or by clicking here! a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Caitlin Sinead

Caitlin Sinead is represented by Andrea Somberg at Harvey Klinger, Inc. and her debut novel, Heartsick, is available now from Carina Press. Her writing has earned accolades from Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, Glimmer Train, and Writers & Artists, and her stories have appeared in multiple publications, including The Alarmist, The Binnacle, Crunchable, Jersey Devil Press, and Northern Virginia Magazine. She earned a master's degree in writing from Johns Hopkins University. 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter

[New Release] Red Blooded by Caitlin Sinead (Release Day Blast)

Caitlin Sinead's RED BLOODED is available now! We're obsessed with RED BLOODED - there's a cute campaign intern, political drama, family drama, a fake relationship for the press, not to mention a bit of mystery. What's not to love? Join the campaign trail with Peyton and Dylan now!

 

About RED BLOODED

Instead of eating ramen and meeting frat guys like most college freshmen, Peyton Arthur is on the campaign trail. Traveling with her mother, the Democratic pick for vice president, she's ordering room service, sneaking glances at cute campaign intern Dylan and deflecting interview questions about the tragic loss of her father. But when a reporter questions her paternity, her world goes into a tailspin.

Dylan left Yale and joined the campaign to make a difference, not keep tabs on some girl. But with the paternity scandal blowing up and Peyton asking questions, he's been tasked to watch her every move. As he gets to know the real Peyton, he finds it harder and harder to keep a professional distance.

When the media demands a story, Peyton and Dylan give them one—a fake relationship. As they work together to investigate the rumors about her real father and Peyton gets closer to learning the truth, she's also getting closer to Dylan. And suddenly, it's not just her past on the line anymore. It's her heart.

Add it to Goodreads HERE!

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iBooks

Excerpt from RED BLOODED

With the flood of more people outside of the Wawa, and even more phones attached to Instagram and Pinterest and god knows what else, there isn’t time to think. There’s only time to act. I brush against Dylan, fear gurgling in my stomach. What if he doesn’t get it? What if he doesn’t want to play along? “Dylan, promise me you’ll keep looking at me as I say this.” His eyes dart up. “What?” “Just, don’t look anywhere else,” I say, as I approach him, our bodies almost touching. “People recognized me.” He jitters, about to look around, but he stops himself. His attention is all on me. “Yeah,” he says, voice low. “Remember how you told me that in politics we need to make the story our own. Make it something positive?” I close the gap between us, my body pressing against his. He stiffens, but only at first, then his breaths grow deep. He nods. “Yeah.” “This is me making my own story.” My palms glide over his knuckles. I press down on his wrists to help leverage myself up as I stand on my tiptoes. I bring my face closer and closer to his, until our lips touch. I move, but barely, running my mouth along his. His mouth opens, and together, our breaths connect. We stay there, not moving past the lip-touching, until he lowers his head. His hands fly around my hips. He pulls at me, pressing my belly into his pelvis as his lips come down hard. His tongue slips into my mouth, tender and curious. I reach my hands around his neck, pressing my breasts against him. His right hand reaches just under the back of my shirt, and his fingers press against my lower spine as his left hand scoops my neck, ensuring my mouth stays with him. Ensuring our tongues and lips can stay together, caressing and connecting. His thumb rubs against the sensitive part under my ear. I arch my back as he holds me close. I’m ready to relinquish everything to him. Just as I’m wanting his hands to skid all over me, just as I’m wanting his mouth to never leave mine again, he draws back. He looks down and swallows. I hold on tighter as his hands glide to my upper arms. We’re both catching our breath as we stare at each other. Then he looks to the crowd that I realize, belatedly, has been joyously catcalling from the Wawa doors. He leans to the side of me that they can’t see. His warm breath blows against my ear. “That was just for show?” he asks. I mumble something and try to nod my head. Up. Down. “Okay.” He lets me go and climbs into the driver’s seat faster than I thought possible. Especially now. My legs feel like Jell-O, my mind feels like something even less solid than Jell-O. I look up in a haze. He opens the door a sliver. The familiar, gruff, Dylan voice is back. “You coming?”

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iBooks

Giveaway

Want to win an Amazon gift card? You can enter via the Rafflecopter below or by clicking here! a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Caitlin Sinead

Caitlin Sinead is represented by Andrea Somberg at Harvey Klinger, Inc. and her debut novel, Heartsick, is available now from Carina Press. Her writing has earned accolades from Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, Glimmer Train, and Writers & Artists, and her stories have appeared in multiple publications, including The Alarmist, The Binnacle, Crunchable, Jersey Devil Press, and Northern Virginia Magazine. She earned a master's degree in writing from Johns Hopkins University. 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter